THE WAGER
"Question of the day, Willie Boy," Ryan greeted his book seller friend as he set his first cup of coffee on their table for their weekly Saturday morning chat. "Are women as horny as men?"
"DOGS aren't as horny as men, dude!" Will welcomed his friend with a good-natured punch on the arm.
"And just like that, my dreams have been shattered!" Ryan feigned despair. Ryan noticed a couple of women
"Just the first of many times in a normal day, right?" Will had a related story to tell, but chose to hold it back for now. "If my dog knew half the thoughts that crossed my mind, it would shock him so badly that he'd run away from home!"
"You don't have a dog, my friend," Ryan sarcastically replied.
Satisfied at how easily his buddy had bit on his cue, Will agreed, "I rest my case!"
"And I drove downtown for this kind of rejection!" Ryan noticed two women at a nearby table who had been looking their way. "Don't look now, but to prove my point, there are two hot women at the table in the corner who have been checking us out since we got here."
"There's a menu over your shoulder, Einstein! They're getting ready to place an order." Will was always thrilled to dash water on his friend's observations.
"Is the menu UNDER our table?" Ryan countered.
With his curiosity piqued, Will casually turned to find the women in question. "Nice!"
"I thought I told you NOT to look!" Ryan wasn't ready to let Will off from commenting on his proposed topic of the morning. "So, what do you think about my theory?"
"YOU have a theory? Relativity has already been proven." Will continued his jab, "Or do you have new developments of why the chicken crossed the road?"
"Are women as horny as men?" Ryan pressed on, "Now that you saw those women in the corner."
"Did they come over to ask us home with them?" Now was the time for Ryan to share his news, "You may have a point, though. I'd say women want sex just as much as guys, but are way more discreet about it. This reminds me of a hot new book that came into the shop this week."
"You're the only guy I know who would change a topic from sex to books! You need to get out of your store more," Ryan replied, pleased to get back at his friend for giving him so much grief.
"Listen to me!" Will went on, "This book, called 'The Wager,' is about two guys who bet each other that they could bag more babes than the other. What they found was that women were just as eager as they were. They had just been waiting for men with the balls to approach them!"
"So, are you saying you want to bet now?" Will took the opportunity to trouble his friend. "Because I really don't understand you. You poo-pooed my idea, but now you're trying to turn it into an idea of your own!"
"Calm down, Ace! Do you think you can hold your one against me, or do you want to concede now that I'm the better man?" Will knew that would get a rise from Ryan.
"Excuse me? The better man?" Ryan was all in on the wager. "When I'm calling on stores for work, women are always gettin' a look at me! I just haven't approached them yet."
"Repelled them is more like it!" Will laughed, but knew the challenge had been accepted.
CHAPTER 2
The bookstore Will owned, "Cover To Cover," was closed on Sunday, while Ryan, a regional sales manager for a national confectionery company, wouldn't head out for his hotel until late Sunday afternoon, so both friends had time to think about the wager.
On the following Wednesday evening, Will and Brenda, his trusted assistant at the bookstore, were scheduled to reset the window display with some of the newly released books for spring. They had each chosen a few titles to read and review, before deciding which deserved the honored window display placement.
Of course, Will was quick to choose a copy of "The Wager," a popular new erotic novel he had told Ryan about on Saturday morning, after Ryan's suggestion that the two friends challenge each other to see how many women they could seduce to their beds.
It did surprise Will slightly when it was Brenda's first selection, too.
Brenda had worked at the shop since Will had bought it. She was an excellent assistant whom he also found very attractive. Nearly ten years his junior, she often flirted with Will, something he enjoyed, but had never attempted to pursue.
A part-time university student, Brenda made herself available for as many hours as Will could give her. He admired her long, light brown hair that glistened in the light. Her pleasing personality and interest in books made her the perfect addition to his store. He couldn't deny the added advantage of watching her as she moved around the shelves, restocking and assisting customers. She was a physical person who used touch to emphasize her conversation. Will enjoyed her touching his arm, encouraging contact as often as possible.
When she locked the front door on Wednesday evening, Will noticed her enthusiasm when she mentioned "The Wager." She was holding a copy as they began work on the window display.
"Did you read this all the way through?" she asked Will. "What an idea! I think it would be so hot to be part of a wager like that!"
"Wouldn't you think the challenge would be far less for a woman?" Will was eager to talk more about the thought. "I mean, how easy would it be for you to entice guys to sleep with you? You'd have them lined up!"
"Do you think so?" Brenda's tone was one of surprise, but Will felt she knew she could bed all the men she wanted. "It sounds so sensual! I've always loved first meetings and the sex that follows! I love to be undressed by a new lover, to feel his kisses all over my body. Then, of course, I love to see what he's got."
